Reflector



W. WILSON Dec. 24, 1929.

REFLECTOR Filed May 19, 192' 2 Sheets-Sheet l W. WILSON Dec. 24, 1929.

REFLECTOR 2' Sheets-Sheet Filed May 19, 192' Patented Dec. 24, i929 l'lE. STAT Fl WESLEY WILSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN ELECTRIC MFG. 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS REFLECTOR Application filed May 19, 1927.

My invention relates to light projecting apparatus.

One of the objects of my invention is to provide an improved lamp projecting apparatus for illuminating vertical surfaces such as signs, painted walls, display boards, etc.

A further object is to provide such a construction in which the receptacle and re flector are adapted for use with lamps of different size and wattage.

A further object is to provide a construction for illuminating vertical surfaces in which the reflector is located a substantial distance in front of the vertical surface and in which the use of various sizes of lamps does not materially change the height of the uppermost rearwardly directed A further object is to provide a construction for illuminating signs and the like, in which the reflector is located a substantial distance in front of the vertical surface to be illuminated and in which the reflector is supported by a substantially horizontally extending pipe without the use of intermediate bends, elbows or the like.

A further object is to provide such a construction which will give a desirable, efficient, and uniform illumination of the vertical surface.

Further objects will appear from the description and claims.

In the drawings, in which an embodiment of my invention is shown,

Figure 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic View showing the manner in which the reflector and lamp are located with respect to the var tical surface to be illuminated;

Fig. 2 is a vertical axial section through the reflector;

Fig. 3 is a view of the reflector from the open side thereof; and

Fig. 4.- is a section on the line 4lt of Fig. 8.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the construction shown comprises a vertical surface, such as a sign-board 1, to be illuminated, a reflector 52 substantially in the same horizontal plane as the upper edge of the board, a conduit 3 fer the extending Serial No. 192,522.

portion located within the reflector.

The lamp socket is mounted in a sheet metal cup-like housing member 6 secured to the reflector member by means of a flange or collar 7 on the reflector member which fits inside the cup-like socket housing, and is secured thereto in any suitable manner.

in order to give the desired inclination to the lamp and reflector, the bottom portion 8 of the cup-like housing is secured against the forwardly and upwardly inclined face of a bushing 9 which is secured on the end of the wire conduit by means of a set screw 10 and furthermore, the edge of the cup-like housing which is adjacent the reflector is beveled ofi or truncated so that the longitudinal axis of the reflector extends downwardly and rearwardly while the axis of the lamp itself extends downwardly and forwardly, substantially at right angles to the axis of the reflector.

With this disposition of the lamp and reflector, a light distributing curve, such as shown at 11 in Fig. 1, is obtained, so that a large proportion of the light is directed rearwardly and downwardly to make a smooth uniform illumination of the vertical signboard.

The rear edge of the reflector is so positioned with respect to the light source that the uppermost direct rays 12 from this light source will strike the upper portion of the sign-board, as shown at 14.

In 1, the lamp 5, shown in full lines, may be a 150 watt lamp and the lamp 13 shown in dotted lines shows the position which a smaller lamp, such as a watt lamp, would assume. It will be seen that the light center for the smaller lamp is so located that the light distributing curve for the smaller lamp will be of the same general characteristics and disposition as the distrib- 0 uting curve for the larger lamp. This is due principally to the fact that the axis of the lamp socket is substantially at right an les to the axi o in the po's f the reflector so that small 0 ange' the lights-tents?) does not materially change the line of direction of the uppermost ray escaping underneath the rear edge ofthe reflector. The line of direction for the uppermost ray of the smaller lamp is shown at 14 and it is apparent that the uppermost ray 15 for the smaller lamps almost coincides with the uppermost ray 12 for the larger lamp. Thus with both lamps the uppermost part of the sign-board will be illuminated but substantially no light will be wasted with either lamp in rays passing above the upper edge of the sign-board.

While I have described but one embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that many modifications therein may occur to those skilled in the art, and I desire, therefore, that my invention be limited only by the scope of the appended claims and by the prior art.

In order to confine the vertical light distribution and give lateral spread the reflector may be flattened as shown in Figures 3 and 4 so that its fore and aft axis AB is considerably less than its laterally extending axis CD.

I claim:

1. Means for illuminating a substantially vertical surface, comprising a substantially horizontal conductor conduit extending forwardly from said surface, a bushing secured at the front end of said conduit havinga forwardly and upwardly sloping: face, a truncated cylindrical cup-like housing having its bottom secured to said sloping face and its axis extending downwardly and forwardl a lamp receptacle in said cup-like housing for supporting a lamp so that its axis extends downwardly and forwardly, and a concave reflector surrounding said lamp and having its axis transverse to said lamp, so as to ex tend downwardly and rearwardly, said reflector being oval in a cross-section vertical to its axis, the major axis of the oval being substantially parallel to the illuminated surface, and minor axis of the oval extending downwardly and forwardly, the rear edge of said reflector lying substantially in a plane through the light source and the upper edge of the surface to be illuminated 2. Means for illuminating a substantially vertical surface, comprising a substantially horizontal conduit extending forwardly from said surface, a bushing secured at the front end of said conduit having a forwardly and upwardly sloping face, a truncated cylindrical cup-like housing having its bottom secured to said sloping face and its axis ex'- tending downwardly and forwardly, a lamp receptacle in said cup-like housing for supporting a lamp so that its axis extends clownwardly and forwardly, and a concave refiector surrounding said lamp and having its axis transverse to said lamp, so as to extend downwardly and rearwardly, the rear edge of said reflector lying substantially in a plane scribed my name.

WESLEY WILSON. 

